In the week before the Carling Cup final, I should be brimming with expectation and excitement.

But I'm not.

I can't help thinking Boro are again going down the 'take-it-or- leave-it' road with the talented and "hugely promising" Stewart Downing (not my words, but those of Henry Winter of the Telegraph, who seldom has much of a good word for Boro).

Why is it that Boro spend time and money on rearing youngsters from the Academy, only to mess them about with a contractual dog-in-the-manger attitude to the extent that their representatives believe they can find a better deal elsewhere?

After all, did Liverpool not react accordingly when they realised what they had in their grasp with the young(er) Michael Owen? Likewise Everton with Rooney?

Surely the bedrock of Premiership sides of Boro's ilk should be home-grown talent - hasn't the club been preaching that for some years now?

What is the point of running an Academy to develop talent, if all you do is sell it off?

Or maybe that is the point in Boro's case...

ANDY DILCOCK Aberdeen.

LAST WORD: Downing has endeared himself to the fans with his sparkling displays.

Thank you for the several letters on the subject which we have received this week.